3 Safety Tips For Special Effects Contacts
Wearing special effects contacts that change your eye shape and color is a fun way to alter your appearance. It can be a daily fashion statement or the finishing touch that really makes your Halloween costume stand out. However, to protect your vision and overall eye health, you want to make sure that you're wearing them safely. While special effects contact lenses aren't necessarily unsafe, they're more likely to be misused than ordinary contacts, and this can lead to eye damage. Take a look at some safety tips for special effects contacts.
See an Eye Doctor First
Before buying any type of contact lens, you should make an appointment with your eye doctor to have an examination and get a contact lens prescription. In the U.S., it's illegal to sell contacts to a patient without a valid prescription.
That doesn't mean that you have to have poor eyesight to have fun with special effects contacts – people with 20/20 vision who want to wear decorative contacts can get prescriptions as well. The exam and prescription process is to make sure that your eyes are healthy and that wearing contacts won't harm them. You'll also get a tutorial in how to put in and take out contact lenses – the eye doctor will probably have you wear a test pair for a little while to ensure that you can put them in and remove them properly and that they don't irritate your eyes.
Buy From a Reputable Dealer
When you purchase contact lenses, it's important to make sure that you buy them from a reputable dealer. Reputable dealers will require you to provide proof of your contact lens prescription.
Lenses sold by less reputable dealers may not be healthy for your eyes. One example is the circle lens – a lens that covers part of the white of the eye, as well as the iris, making the eye appear larger and rounder, like that of an anime character. Eye doctors report serious concerns over these lenses, and no major contact lens maker in the U.S. sells them. Ordering such lenses from an international website could result in eye injuries, up to and including blindness. Don't risk your eye health for this fad – there are plenty of fun types of FX lenses that are sold by reputable sellers and aren't dangerous for your eyes.
Follow Best Practices When Wearing
For the most part, wearing special effects lenses requires the same precautions as regular lenses. You should take them out when you go to bed at night; don't sleep in them. Store them in a clean contact lens case, and make sure that the lenses themselves are clean and free of rips and tears before you put them in. If your eyes begin to feel irritated, take the lenses out right away.
You should also wear sunglasses during the day when you're out and about wearing contact lenses. This protects your eyes from UV rays. If possible, you should purchases lenses that come with UV protection as well.
There is nothing fun about eye injuries or infections. However, done safely, wearing special effects contacts can be a lot of fun. Make sure that you take all of the appropriate steps to avoid injury when wearing these lenses.
Contact professionals such as EyeCare About Vegas: Dr. R Dougal Morrison & Dr. Christopher Coker to learn more.